birddr Posted 10 May , 2008 Share Posted 10 May , 2008 I found this with my uncle's medals and wondered if anyone has see one before and if so could let me know what it is. I assume it is some sort of proficiency medal. As you can see it is dated August 1917. Rifleman J G Rowen was killed on 28th October 1917 I understand at Passchendale 3rd Battle of Ypres and is commemorated on panel 150 at Tyne Cot. He was in the 2nd/6th City of London Rifles having enlisted in 1916. I have several photos of him including one of his Platoon taken at Sutton Veny (training camp?) in October 1916. All the names are shown on the photo and from researching the War Graves site to try to see where he may have served I found that 6 or 7 of the platoon died at Arras in May 1917 including their Officer. Is it possible to find out where he would have been serving on the day he died? A final question. On his medals his initials seem to be reversed so that instead of J G Rowen he shows as G J Rowen and his number on the medals is 5230 whereas from correspondence ( a letter from the War Office sending his pay to his mother after he died) and the cwgc site his number is 322424. The Regiment is correct as 6 London. There are no G J Rowen's in the family and I cannot trace anyone listed with those initials and feel sure that the medals are his. His Death Plaque shows his name correctly, although I now see that the medallion has J C Rowen not J G Rowen . Is it unusual to get the inscription wrong on a medal or could there have been a G J Rowen in the 6 London and the wrong medals were sent out? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 10 May , 2008 Share Posted 10 May , 2008 Initials on the posted medal are J and C, search for his MIC found this, he was renumbered at some point - his medals are named to his earlier number, the correspondance to his later number: http://www.nationalarchives.gov.uk/documen...p;resultcount=2 Description Medal card of Rowen, Christopher J Corps Regiment No Rank London Regiment 5230 Private London Regiment 322424 Private Date 1914-1920 Catalogue reference WO 372/17 Dept Records created or inherited by the War Office, Armed Forces, Judge Advocate General, and related bodies Series War Office: Service Medal and Award Rolls Index, First World War Piece Ridley C - Shacklady T Image contains 1 medal card of many for this collection Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Andrew Upton Posted 10 May , 2008 Share Posted 10 May , 2008 CWGC listing with same number, but different initial, possibly a simple scanning error of the C, or something more? http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=828318 Name: ROWEN, JOHN G. Initials: J G Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Rifleman Regiment/Service: London Regiment (City of London Rifles) Unit Text: "B" Coy. 2nd/6th Bn. Age: 22 Date of Death: 28/10/1917 Service No: 322424 Additional information: Son of Mrs. Elizabeth Rowen, of 29, East St., Theobald's Rd., London. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 150. Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birddr Posted 10 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 10 May , 2008 CWGC listing with same number, but different initial, possibly a simple scanning error of the C, or something more? http://www.cwgc.org/search/casualty_detail...casualty=828318 Name: ROWEN, JOHN G. Initials: J G Nationality: United Kingdom Rank: Rifleman Regiment/Service: London Regiment (City of London Rifles) Unit Text: "B" Coy. 2nd/6th Bn. Age: 22 Date of Death: 28/10/1917 Service No: 322424 Additional information: Son of Mrs. Elizabeth Rowen, of 29, East St., Theobald's Rd., London. Casualty Type: Commonwealth War Dead Grave/Memorial Reference: Panel 150. Memorial: TYNE COT MEMORIAL Many thanks for the quick reply. I am now very confused. You are right, the initials on the medal are J C not J G. I know of no Christopher Rowen in the family. John George had three brothers serving in the London Regiment. J E 1/24 and C V 1/22 died of wounds 1919 and W Rowen 3/6 enlisted May 1915 age 15. I have J E's medals and in fact am about to hand them over to his grandson who I have just traced.I wonder now if the medals for J C were sent to the wrong family although you would have thought that they would have noticed. I have now tried to search the MIC records and it seems that John George Rowen is not listed at, so perhaps the C J Rowen listing is his after all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
James Blonde Posted 10 May , 2008 Share Posted 10 May , 2008 The item in question appears to be a Regimental prize given for the Brigade Rifle-Grenade competition. Awarded by the 2/6th London Regiment. It would not have been worn upon the uniform, (except on the day of presentation (?) being an unofficial military award. Connaught Stranger. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
birddr Posted 10 May , 2008 Author Share Posted 10 May , 2008 The item in question appears to be a Regimental prize given for the Brigade Rifle-Grenade competition. Awarded by the 2/6th London Regiment. It would not have been worn upon the uniform, (except on the day of presentation (?) being an unofficial military award. Connaught Stranger. Many thanks. It is nice to know that they were able to hold such competitions. I hope they provided a bit or relief. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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